About The Song
In August 1975 Bobby Bare entered RCA Victor Studio in Nashville for sessions that produced the album *Cowboys and Daddys*. Co-produced by Bare and Bill Rice, the date featured a loose, energetic band that perfectly suited the emerging outlaw-country sound. RCA Victor released the LP in November 1975 under catalog APL1-1222, with “Up Against the Wall (Redneck Mother)” as one of its standout tracks. The following year the song appeared as the B-side to the single “The Winner” (RCA Victor PB-10556), giving it additional radio exposure even though the A-side reached number thirteen on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart.
Ray Wylie Hubbard wrote the song in the early 1970s while living in New Mexico. Jerry Jeff Walker first recorded it in 1973 and turned the track into an outlaw-country anthem with his live album *¡Viva Terlingua!*. Hubbard’s original verses told the story of a hard-living Texas mother raising a rowdy son who grows up to be just like her. The chorus delivered the rebellious punch line: “Up against the wall, redneck mother / A mother who has raised her son so well.” Bare’s version kept the spirit intact while adding his own conversational warmth, making the character feel like a familiar barroom acquaintance rather than a caricature.
The lyrics paint a vivid, unapologetic portrait of a no-nonsense woman who teaches her boy to cuss, drink, and stand up for himself. Lines about Fall Staff beer, Saturday-night fights, and a mother who “ain’t never been to college” but knows how to raise a fighter captured the blue-collar defiance that defined much of the outlaw movement. Bare sang the number with a grin in his voice, turning what could have been pure satire into something affectionate and celebratory. The arrangement featured driving rhythm guitar, punchy drums, and just enough honky-tonk steel to keep the track swinging without losing its rough-edged charm.
Although it was never issued as an A-side single, “Up Against the Wall (Redneck Mother)” earned steady airplay and quickly became a fan favorite. It fit comfortably alongside other strong cuts on *Cowboys and Daddys* such as “The Winner,” “Chester,” and “Pretty Painted Ladies.” The album itself reached number twenty-one on the Billboard Top Country Albums chart and helped Bare maintain his reputation as an artist willing to embrace irreverent, character-driven material at a time when Nashville was experimenting with more polished sounds.
Over the decades the track has remained a staple of Bare’s live shows and a highlight of outlaw-country playlists. It has been included in numerous compilations and reissues, including Bear Family box sets that document his complete RCA catalog. Other artists such as Steve Earle and various Texas-country acts have kept Hubbard’s song alive, but Bare’s relaxed, good-humored version is widely regarded as one of the most entertaining country interpretations.
More than forty-five years after its release, “Up Against the Wall (Redneck Mother)” stands as a clear snapshot of Bobby Bare’s playful side during the outlaw era. What began as a strong album cut and B-side became a lasting fan favorite that captured the rebellious, fun-loving spirit of 1970s country music. The song reminds listeners why Bare’s warm delivery and sharp ear for distinctive material made him one of the most reliable interpreters of great songs across several decades.
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Lyric
He was born in Oklahoma
His wife’s name’s Betty Lou Thelma Liz
He’s not responsible for what he’s doing
‘Cause his mother made him what he is
And it’s up against the wall, Redneck Mother
Mother, who has raised her son so well
He’s thirty four and drinking in a honky tonk
Just kicking hippies’ asses and raising hell
Sure does like his Falstaff beer
He likes to chase it down with that Wild Turkey liquor
He drives a ’57 GMC pickup truck
Got a gun rack, ‘Goat roper needs love too sticker
And it’s up against the wall, Redneck Mother
Mother, who has raised her son so well
He’s thirty four and drinking in a honky tonk
Just kicking hippies’ asses and raising hell, oh baby
M is for the mud flaps you give me for my pickup truck
O is for the oil I put on my hair
T is for T-bird, ‘H’ is for haggard
E is for eggs and ‘R’ is for Redneck
Up against the wall, Redneck Mother
Mother, who has raised her son so well
He’s thirty four and drinking in a honky tonk
Kicking hippies’ asses and raising hell
He’s up against the wall, Redneck Mother
Mother, who has raised her son so well